A process for removing biodegradable materials from water in which the water is contacted with biological microorganisms disposed on a plurality of bio-suspension elements; both a water eductor and a bioreactor are used in this process.
This patent application describes certain improvements upon the technology disclosed in applicant""s prior patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,231,766 and 6,022,476, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,476 discloses and claims a method for removing selected biodegradable materials from a body of water.
The process of the instant application is similar to the process of U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,766, comprising the steps off (a) disposing a plurality of bio-suspension elements within an enclosure which is at least partially submerged in a body of water, wherein a screen is disposed within said enclosure, wherein said bio-suspension elements provide surfaces for supporting the growth of at least five different biological microorganisms, and wherein said bio-suspension elements are disposed above said screen, (b) introducing said at least five different biological microorganisms into said enclosure along with said water (c) continuously agitating, aerating, and feeding said water into said enclosure at a rate of at least about 20 feet per minute, (d) forcing air through said screen, whereby treated water is produced, and (e) continuously removing said treated water from said enclosure at a rate of at least about 20 feet per minute.
In general, and as is disclosed, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,766, applicants"" process involves removing selected biodegradable materials from water. In the first step of this process, there is disposed a plurality of bio-suspension elements within an enclosure, wherein a screen is disposed within said enclosure, wherein said bio-suspension elements provide surfaces for supporting the growth of at least five different biological microorganisms, and wherein said bio-suspension elements are disposed above said screen. In the second step of this process, there is introduced said at least five different biological microorganisms into said enclosure along with said water, wherein said water is continuously agitated, aerated and preferably fed into said enclosure at a rate of at least about 20 feet per minute. In the third step of the process, air is forced through said screen, whereby treated water is produced. Treated water is continuously removed from the enclosure, preferably at a rate of at least 20 feet per minute.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved, more efficient process for treating a body of water.
In accordance with this invention, there is provided a process for treating a body of water. In the first step of this process, a bioreactor and a water eductor are disposed in a body of water such that the water eductor is separated from the bioreactor by a distance of at least 10 feet; the water eductor is disposed beneath the body of water, to a depth of at least about 3 feet; and the bioreactor is at least partially submerged in the body of water. In the second step of the process, water is moved through the water eductor at a rate of at least about 60 feet per minute while being aerated; the water flow produced by the water eductor is substantially parallel to the surface of the body of water. In the third step of the process, water is passed through the bioreactor; the bioreactor used contains plurality of bio-suspension elements within an enclosure, wherein a screen is disposed within said enclosure, wherein said bio-suspension elements provide surfaces for supporting the growth of at least five different biological microorganisms, and wherein said bio-suspension elements are disposed above said screen; in this third step, there are introduced at least five different biological microorganisms into said enclosure along with said water, wherein said water is continuously agitated, aerated and preferably fed into said enclosure at a rate of at least about 20 feet per minute; whereby treated water is produced, and the treated water is continuously removed from the enclosure, preferably at a rate of at least 20 feet per minute.